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Bash to have charitable thrust

The 11th annual Bulldog Bash is scheduled this Friday night in the Cotton District, and Mississippi State Student Association leaders are again planning a special philanthropic push with this year’s event.
Two-time Grammy Award winner Jason Mraz is headlining this year’s Bulldog Bash, which is presented by Cellular South.
During the performance, the Mraz will pause, ask members of the crowd to pull out their cellular phones and send this text message — “NCMISS” — to UNITED (864833).
This will add a $5 charge to a person’s cellular phone bill that will be donated directly to the United Way of North Central Mississippi, said SA President Thomas Sellars.
With the thousands of people that attend Bulldog Bash — crowd estimates have reached as high as 35,000 people in recent years — the potential for the text message donations — also referred to as m-giving or mobile giving — has huge potential for the local United Way campaign, said United Way Executive Director.
The United Way will have the text message donation capability for a full year, so it could be incorporated into other events, Rives said. Cellular phone users are limited to sending one donation text message per day.
The Student Association piloted the United Way text message donation at the 2009 Bulldog Bash, generating more than $7,000 in donations from the event.
Additional information about Bulldog Bash and its philanthropic push is available online at http://www.msubulldogbash.org and by clicking on the “In the District” link and scrolling down to the “Philanthropy” link.
That particular page on the Bulldog Bash Web site also had a secure form by which donations can be made through the text message system.

About tonight’s Bash

Mraz — whose recent studio album, “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things,” has proven to be worldwide smash, receiving multiple platinum sales certifications around the world — is the headlining performer for this year’s Bulldog Bash.
In 2010, Mraz took home two major Grammy Awards for songs “Make It Mine” and “Lucky” and the album had three additional Grammy nomination nods in 2009. The Jason Mraz penned song, “I’m Yours,” on this album holds the record as the longest-running song in the history of the Billboard “Hot 100,” is the first song ever to top the charts at four different pop radio formats, and was the 2010 ASCAP “Song Of The Year.”
Activities at Bulldog Bash kick off at 3 p.m. with an MSU Fan Fair and games for children, and a pep rally is scheduled from 6:20 to 6:50 p.m.
Vendor booths will be set up prior to the FanFair and will remain up throughout the Bulldog Bash.
Live music performances are featured on the Clark Beverage Group Main Stage on University Drive and on the Rick’s Cafe Americain Stage on Page Avenue.
The performance schedule is as follows:
Rick’s Cafe Stage
• 6:50 to 7:50 p.m. — SMAASH.
• 8:10 to 8:45 p.m. — B.O.M.B. Squad.
• 8:55 to 9:35 p.m. — Space Capone
Clark Beverage Group Main Stage
• 7:30 to 8:15 p.m. — George McConnell and the Nonchalants.
• 8:45 to 9:30 p.m. — Luc and the Lovingtons
• 10 p.m. to midnight — Jason Mraz.

Reminders

STREET CLOSINGS
Beginning at 2 a.m. Friday, University Drive from Colonel Muldrow Street to Page Avenue will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic throughout the day and during the Bash itself to allow safe operation of the main stage.
By 1 p.m., vehicular traffic will be shut down on these streets:
• Page Avenue from University Drive to Maxwell Street.
• University Drive from North Nash Street to the Hunter Henry Center on the Mississippi State campus.
• South Nash Street from Lummus Street to University Drive.
• Maxwell Street from Lummus Street to University Drive.
• Holtsinger Street from Lummus Street to Hogan Street.
• Cotton Row from South Nash Street to Maxwell Street.
• Colonel Muldrow Street from Lummus Street to University Drive.
PARKING/SHUTTLE BUS ROUTE
All pedestrian traffic coming from the downtown area to the west will be detoured onto South Nash and Hogan streets to gain access to the Bulldog Bash site, Thomas said.
Bash-goers are encouraged to either park at the Cooley Building on Russell Street and walk to the Cotton District.
A shuttle bus will also be running from various campus and city stops to the Bulldog Bash site from 6:30 p.m. today until 1 a.m. Saturday. Shuttle stops will be at Sessums and McKee Halls, the Zacharias Village, the Colvard Union and the South Zone residence halls on campus, as well as at sorority and fraternity rows.
Shuttle stops are also planned at Rick’s Cafe Americain on Highway 182 and at Mugshots on Main Street at Douglas L. Conner Drive. The shuttle bus will drop off and pick up riders at a specific location by the Bulldog Bash site.
The Bulldog Bash shuttle may be tracked online during the event at http://www.transit.msstate.edu.
OPEN CONTAINERS
Bash-goers are also reminded that any beverages must be in a paper, styrofoam or plastic cup. No cans or bottles will be allowed on the streets, Police Department officials said.